1. WHAT KIND OF MEDIA
INSTITUTION MIGHT
DISTRIBUTEYOUR MEDIA
PRODUCT ANDWHY?
2. During my research and planning phase, I researched
three different institutions.These consisted of: Bauer
Media Group,Time Inc &Wenner Media LLC.
3. Time Inc. UK
Time Inc. UK (formerly International Publishing Corporation and IPC Media) is a
consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large
portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year. Major titles include What's on
TV, NME, Country Life and Wallpaper. Time Inc. also operates over 60 websites
and digital-only titles
AlthoughTime Inc. UK distribute a lot of well-known and successful magazines, I
feel they would not benefit my magazine or my audience. NME covers more Indie
music than metal, therefore I feel my target audience would not be reached as
well (AsTime Inc may advertise my magazine within NME, which my audience is
less likely to read). On the other hand, Time Inc. UK may be good for distributing
my magazine, as it will be something different for them, making my magazine
stand out. Plus, this institution uses a lot of websites for the digital versions of
their magazines – this is something that I would be interested in using. My target
audience is quite young, and a lot of young people prefer to go online, rather than
go and buy an actual magazine. A website could help the magazine sell.
4. Wenner Media LLC
Jann SimonWenner (born January 7, 1946) is the co-founder
and publisher of the popular culture biweekly magazine Rolling
Stone.Wenner Media LLC is not widely known, and Jann
Wenner has been accused of being biased when representing
bands in his magazines.
Wenner Media would certainly not be a good choice for my magazine.
This is for a number of reasons. Firstly, Rolling Stone is a very diverse
magazine, covering all kinds of different artists and genres. My
magazine is very much focused on one genre. Plus, Wenner Media
don’t exactly have a great reputation. Although Rolling Stone is a huge
success, I wouldn’t want somebody who is biased representing my
magazine. Furthermore, because Rolling Stone is so different to my
magazine, it is unlikelyWenner would produce it in the first place (if
Wenner is as biased as he is accused of being).
5. Bauer Media Group
Bauer Media Group is a European-based media company,
headquartered in Hamburg, Germany that manages a portfolio
of more than 600 magazines, over 400 digital products and 50
radio andTV stations around the world.This group also
publishes Kerrang!
Bauer Media Group seems the most appropriate for my
magazine, as it already has links with another magazine which
shares my chosen genre. Bauer Media Group is the publisher of
Kerrang!, and although my magazine would be quite different
to this, it would still fall under the same category. Kerrang! has
quite a large audience, so I know my magazine should have no
problems attracting a good audience, meaning that Bauer
would likely distribute my magazine (As they will gain from the
audience purchasing the magazine, along with all the other
magazines they distribute).
6. Similar Product
Throughout my research, I have often made reference to Kerrang!, published by
Bauer Media Group. I have used some of their features within my own magazine, as
Kerrang! Is very successful, and as someone who is a fan of rock, I have also
purchased many issues of this magazine. For these reasons, I decided to take some
inspiration from Kerrang!, but made sure to keep some things different so that my
magazine wouldn’t be a remake of this one.
Moreover, Kerrang! has much more than just a magazine. Due to it being so
successful, Kerrang! also has its own radio station andTV channel.This is a great way
of attracting even more readers, as there may be people who have stumbled upon
either the radio orTV channel and have then heard the advertisements for the
magazine, thus interesting them enough to purchase an issue or even subscribe.
With Bauer Media Group representing the magazine and the advertisements for the
TV/radio channel that go within it, this would give me the opportunity to put forward
aTV/radio channel for my magazine, bringing in even more money.
7. Distribution Ideas
Recent studies show that, in England, 36% of adults don't read for pleasure, rising to 44% of young
people (aged 16 to 24). Print-based media is not being read as much as it used to be.This is very
important information, because these statistics focus exactly on my target audience. For this reason,
other distribution ideas should be considered.
Of course, the magazine will still be sold in supermarkets (such as Asda orTesco etc.), but there are
also other places where my magazine would be able to reach my target audience. For example,
certain gigs or festivals (such as Download or Warped) could advertise and sell the magazine. On the
other hand, these festivals/gigs could also hand out free issues or exerts, offering free online trials
too.This would then allow for the magazine to be distributed online, in a digital format.Young adults
and teenagers are much more likely to read something on the internet, rather than read an actual
book/magazine (hopefully, this would encourage young readers to read more, changing statistics). It
is also possible that the occasional free issue could be distributed in colleges, or if not for free, with
student discount.This may encourage more people to purchase the magazine.
